Taral Gristax
='Taral Gristax'= Early Life Taral Gristax, also known as Tar Ulto, was discovered by Tar Scion sometime after 55 BTA. The fact that such a powerful Shuue-user escaped Samurai notice on the Darinna Republic capital world was a mystery, one that cost the Samurai and the Republic dearly. His master taught him everything he knew, allowing him usage of the memory cubes that he possessed, and informed him of his destiny as the Destroyer of Hope. Scion was a good tutor, but punished failure with pain and once left Gristax on a freezing planet, with scant clothing and little else. Scion foresaw that his apprentice would survive and within three days Gristax was back in their secret hideout, once again having learned a valuable lesson. Scion knew the importance of stealth and frequently moved his base of operations to avoid Samurai detection. He also observed the workings of corporate power, once more on the rise within the Republic, and thus instructed Gristax to become an employee of the powerful Pri-Souro Corporation. Shortly before Gristax departed his master, Scion renamed him per the Ninja tradition. His new name and identity would be Tar Ulto, the Ninja Lord who would finally fulfill an an age old prophecy. Pri-Souro years Gristax moved to Berike in 39 BTA and successfully became a member of Pri-Souro's governmental office, making him a liasion to the Republic administration. It was during this time that he first met a Samurai, an opportunity that he had relished for years. Expecting them to be glorious and powerful, Gristax was disgusted to learn the truth: that they were blind and subservient to the corruption that was all around them. After two years Gristax was promoted to administrator of a Pri-Souro operation on Mam'uun. Whilst here he worked tirelessly to become publicly recognized and successfully promoted Pri-Souro's agenda and earned the corporation a powerful place on the planet. He departed from the company two years later to become of the Republic's Nationalist Party, a move that surprised many of his associates, due to his corporate background. The party was well known for its centralization and hate of big business, but as Tar Ulto he knew the Nationalists were the ones best suited to the Ninja agenda of an imperial regime. He quickly became a leader for the local Nationalists in the Kairoo system and spoke out against corruption and procedure, stating the need for strong government. In 33 BTA Tar Scion was nearing the end of his life, and having no wish to deprive the greatest Ninja of all time from his birthright, willingly went to the grave. Shortly before doing so however Scion imparted his belief that the Samurai Chosen One of Guidance was also alive in this era, and that it was Ulto's destiny to face him or her in battle. Ulto, feeling fear for the first time, refused to accept that there was a being equal to his own power in this time and leapt out and slew his master in anger. Ulto would foolishly not devote much thought to the Chosen One, believing himself to be such a person, and simply intended to face the Samurai Shogun himself in battle when the appointed time arrived. The memory cube of Tar Ulto, discovered centuries later, stated that Ulto believed that the prophecy was really about him, with the identity of the Chosen One and Destroyer one and the same. Governor of Mam'uun He stood in the election to become Governor of Mam'uun and won, yet again to the surprise of many. After a successful term in office he declared his intent to run for Mam'uun's seat in the Darinna Senate in 32 BTA and won here too. Now the Ninja had a voice in the very heart of the Republic...though being a senator was simply not enough for the ambitious Gristax. He would soon establish himself as a voice of discontent, attracting many supporters and frustrating others who saw Gristax for what he was. Senator As a fulltime member of the Darinna Senate it was always likely that he may meet with members of the Samurai Order, which Gristax did on more than a few occasions. His mastery of the Shuue allowed him to remain undetected, although when he attended a meeting also attended by the Shogun his powers weren't quite strong enough for full masking and Kilaa Ti momentarily detected a dark ripple, briefly looking in Ulto's direction. After this Gristax resolved to meditate on his masking ability daily, and keep his distance from those Samurai who were known to possess great sensing. Despite hating the Samurai and being careful to avoid their presence Gristax took on a Samurai adviser called Jonn Kaka, who would brief him on matters of the Order, as a senator might request. He pretended for many years to have great friendship with Kaka, relishing the opportunity to tell him otherwise when the time came. Among the Samurai that Gristax actually grudgingly respected were Alofu Dida, a martial expert with knowledge of dark powers, and Lumiorin, a powerful Samurai who Gristax spoke with on two occasions. Ulto understood that Lumiorin would not fall easily when the Samurai purge came. Gristax meditated daily and often with great intensity. He once saw three possible futures, emanating from his future duel with the Shogun and the subsequent Outlaw. In one he was gravely wounded, the other allowed a sizeable faction of the Samurai Order to survive and command a civil war, whilst the actual one that took place ended the death of the Shogun and Gristax's declaration of an empire. The chancellorship of Timer Cai, later viewed as one of the most ineffective and corrupt administrations in the Republic's history, allowed Ulto to campaign against such a weak government and advocate strong, internal leadership. In this way his views were similar to those of Kile Lamorra, the chancellor who inadvertantly provoked the Great War. In fact Gristax used the memory of Lamorra's 'gallant acts' to portray him as a champion of the Republic. This brought him many allies in Lamorra's own Native Party. Nationalist Elector In 16 BTA the now Nationalist Elector Gristax proposed the Piracy Prevention Act, authorizing a small expansion of the Darinna Defence Force and the transfer of oversight back to the Chancellor. The last Darinna Chancellor In 14 ATA Tar Ulto engineered the assassination of Chancellor Dalras Ann, who was poisoned by a bounty hunter. As the next highest ranking politician Taral Gristax was appointed to serve the remainder of Ann's term. The Lord of the Ninja was now Chancellor of the Darinna Republic and one step closer to destroying the Republic and its Samurai guardians. Only a small number of people suspected or knew that Gristax was responsible for the death of his predecessor. The now Chancellor Gristax was careful to present himself as a mild-mannered representative of the people, delivering powerful speeches that defended his radical policies. A pattern would soon emerge in the Gristax's tenure: he would always use legal means and rights to slowly increase his own power in the Republic. His creation of the National Guard and its subsequent senatorial approval allowed him to bypass the Judicaries and sideline the increasingly isolated Samurai Order. Most members of the Senate, sustained by wealth and high office, were blind or even party to his machinations, but a few idealists and adherants of justice such as Comba Suelas and Bendill Sanna realized what a danger the Chancellor was to the Republic and became determined to stop him through the means of democracy. Outright rebellion by senator Arto Buras had failed to unseat him in 11 BTA. He arranged the assassination of prominent Pacifist delegate Cammi Samm in 3 BTA, just weeks before the Armed Forces Act was passed. The outlaw of the Samurai Order in 2 BTA removed the greatest threat to his rule. Years later military action would prove the only way of challenging Taral Gristax's dominion of the galaxy, although in the end it was fitting that a Samurai destroyed him. Shortly after the awe-inspiring duel with the Shogun, Gristax killed his erstwhile Samurai adviser Jonn Kaka. Emperor Tar Ulto was personally responsible for the death of Samurai Master Gia Norbut, one of the most powerful Samurai alive at the time of the Purge. The two dueled in the rain afflicted ruins of the Samurai Grand Temple on Darinn. Taral Gristax, the Destroyer of Hope and tyrant of the galaxy, was finally killed in 40 ATA when the Chosen One Wyere obliterated his evil spirit with the power of the Founders. Powers and Abilities Tar Ulto was the most powerful Ninja Lord in history, a fact he did not deny. In addition he succeeded in destroying both the Republic and the Samurai, something both Zeltros Hie and Sangg Mun had failed to do. He was adept at manipulating people and twisted them for his own ends. Ulto's staff imbued with a fierce red, indicating his dark alignment. Lord Ulto was one of the greatest duelists of all time. His preferred staff form was Ocati (IV), and he was also a master of Moshi (V), Tej (VI), Senserata (a powerful Ninja form beyond form VII) and Yega, the Ninja analog of Form VII. He was able to apply Darishae and the meditative fighting art of Sidas. He was also proficient in the use of two staffs (Mau), although there are no records of him actually doing so. *He had Level 5 telekinesis * He had Level 5 telepathy *He had Level 5 elementary, such as electrokinesis and pyrokinesis. Lord Ulto was able to use the hard to master power of invisibility. His psychic control was Level 5. He could manipulate gravity gravity at a Level 5. He could cast the spell of death. He had a Level 5 cloaking ability. This was perhaps his most useful ability, as it allowed him to remain undetected by the Samurai for many decades, even with the radiating darkness emanating from his person. He had Level 4 stealth. He was said to be one of the most perceptice Shuue-users of all time, even envisoning events to minute detail. His power could influence the future to a certain degree, one that would favour his design. He could also perceive people, even Samurai, but with more difficulty. Some Samurai, such as Lumiorin, could block such mental intrusion. Although not technically 'powers' Ulto possessed many memory cubes of former Ninja lords and even some Samurai ones. They included the cubes of Zeltros Hie, Tar Oberon, Tar Manipas, Tar Selias, Sorn Fust, Tar Amartho, Tar Cuivo, Tar Tiron, and Tar Menos. Apprentices and allies Tar Dias Born Tok Varr, he was Ulto's foremost apprentice.Tar Dias was present at both the Battle of Tamara and the Battle of Langa. He was defeated in a duel on the Superior by Manton Krimai, who opened a hatch that sucked Dias into the void of space. He was a deadly warrior and rarely spoke. He was also completely loyal to his master. The other acolytes of Taral Gristax were unaware of the existence of Tok Varr. Tar Silas Also known as Aamon Vascalana,a former Samurai turned traitor. Tar Silas was a ruthless dispenser of 'justice' in the early years of the Emperor's rule. Ultimately he was discarded by his master, who had grown weary of Vascalana's ambition and so had him executed. Tai Yima Also known as Vespa Talis, another fallen Samurai. Tai Yima led the assault on the Samurai Grand Temple at the onset of the Samurai Purge. She was admired by Ulto and was known among Imperials as his most gifted assassin. More cunning than her counterpart Silas, Vespa Talis survived until at least 12 ATA, when her name disappears from history. It is suggested that she was replaced by Lindra, yet another gifted acolyte of the Ninja Lord. Lindra She possibly replaced Tai Yima as a Ninja in 12 ATA. She became much more important to history in her later years, when she encountered the Chosen One, Wyere, who was herself a Ninja. Wyere tasked Lindra with the training of an individual powerful and wise enough to become leader of a restored Samurai Order and also of the galaxy. She did so, remaining alive until the era of the New Conflict, when she convinced the Samurai Jona Suil to become her Ninja apprentice as Tar Palanto. Palanto envisioned himself at the head of a peaceful Republic, with the restored Samurai Order to enforce his vision. Unfourtunately Palanto was slain in battle with his Samurai sister when she discovered that her brother had seemingly embraced darkness. Pac Tilaster The High Inquistor of the Republic. In the early years of the Emperor's reign, Tilaster was in charge of tracking down and apprehending rogue and fugitive Samurai. Despite this he was himself slain by a Samurai, Lkena Meteon, in 5 ATA at the Battle of Bresto. Dante Ecrusso Ecrusso was never regarded as a Ninja, yet his Shuue affinity was useful to the Emperor nonetheless. He succeeded Pac Tilaster as High Inquistor in 5 ATA, after the former's death at Bresto.